I am going to keep repeating The Christmas Strategy until someone in Republican circles listens:
I say call his bluff. If a deal which tackles deficits from both revenue and spending can be reached this month, great.
If not, pass a 90 day extension of current tax rates and whatever else is needed to postpone the “cliff,” and go home for Christmas to give time for a Grand Bargain which puts Democratic sacred cows on the table.
Let Harry Reid refuse to bring it to a vote, and Obama refuse to sign it. Their inaction will be the reason for taxes rising for everyone.
Year-end is an artificial deadline which works to Obama’s advantage because the only thing on the table is his emotional desire for tax rate increases. The only chance Obama gets to spike the football is a deal that involves only taxes, or at most, vague promises of future spending cuts.
It is a timetable and structure which, standing alone, serves only to tear the Republican Party apart.
The Christmas Strategy sets up a Grand Bargain next year in which Democrats will have to deal with their own internal civil war, as explained by Bob Woodward and summarized by Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:
We’ve been hearing a lot about a civil war within the GOP over the fiscal-cliff negotiations, but is that the only one brewing in Washington? Bob Woodward followed Nancy Pelosi on CBS This Morning, and he claimed that her remarks showed the split on the other side of the aisle. Woodward tells CBS that the White House wants entitlement reform, perhaps especially by raising the eligibility age for Medicare and Social Security, and that Barack Obama may have a tougher sell on that point than John Boehner has on taxes (via Daniel Halper)…
Get rid of the one-sided year end deadline. Create your own deadline which puts everything on the table, including spending and entitlement reform to deal with the real cliff, our out of control deficits and national debt.
If the only alternative is a bad deal, just go home for Christmas.
Update: Hmmm, Cantor: Fiscal-cliff talks will go past Christmas.
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Comments
What? Expect Republicans in Congress to show backbone?
Now that would be a Christmas Miracle!
Makes sense. I don’t believe that POTUS wants to solve the problem. He wants to raise all tax rates and blame someone else.
Although the blame game seems pointless now that the president has “flexibility.” Why should he care about the results? No more elections for him.
The Ryan plan HAS been passed.
Just point to it, maybe put some nice festive ribbons on it, and head out the door for a nice holiday…
and some town hall come to Jeebus meetings with your CONSERVATIVE supporters.
When Boner took the gavel from SanFranNan in 2011, he only got back the empty sac–she kept the cojones that went inside.
I agree completely. Toss a “reasonable” ball into the anointed one’s court and go home for the holidays. The new Senate will be less accommodating than the current one.
The very worst of the democrat party are a marked presence in the Senate.
I hope everyone has written to their rep. to suggest this plan. For those who haven’t, find your rep. here:
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
THE FIX IS IN
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/12/the-fix-is-in.php
What’s really behind the fiscal cliff, or should I say at the bottom of it?
And, there in lies the leadership difference between reactive and proactive… defense and offense, inspired and uninspired.
Boehner is apparently scared and by all outward appearances is teetering on the choices of the lesser of political evils.
He never rose above the level of Representative until two-plus years ago.
This is a high stakes test whether his leadership and principles and bravery will evolve to a level necessitated by the state of the country or fail his office and the citizens of this country.
As of now, he isn’t showing what his position of Speaker of the House and the needs of country demands.
These are very very trying times and it may come to pass he will not have earned the privilege to keep his leadership roll.
All eyes are on you Speaker Boehner. Few are given a chance like this.
[…] Farking Christmas, You Gutless Morons Posted on December 12, 2012 11:30 am by Bill Quick » Dear @SpeakerBoehner, have you heard of The Christmas Strategy? – Le·gal In·sur·rec·tio… Get rid of the one-sided year end deadline. Create your own deadline which puts everything on […]
How about a third alternative? Punt.
Repeal the Fiscal Cliff agreement, then go home for Christmas break and let the next Congress actually pass a budget???
NO, that would be too sane and eliminate a crisis useful for raising taxes…
Am I the only one who seems to think that Woodward has move a bit to the right in the last few years? He regularly appears on FOX and at least now suggests that the Democrats aren’t perfect and blameless!